Brothers and Sisters
by Shinju Wyrde Heterodyne
Summary: A YYH/Naruto fanfic, with my own OCs peppered throughout. Naruto's almost-sister, Ishiana is attacked and while fighting against her captors, Sasuke and Naruto become...close, let's call it that. Mild Shounen Ai. R
1. Prologue

"_Klutz, concentrate damnit!" Kyubi glared at his little sister. She just rolled her eyes at him and went back to tormenting some of the humans on the ground. She never did listen to him._

_He watched in mild annoyance, until one of her four tails bapped him hard enough to send him flying back a few miles. He stood up and audibly growled at the female kitsune. Klutz looked over at him and grinned nervously. _

"_Whoops. Sorry! I can fix that!"_

_Kyubi sighed, grabbing one of her ears and starting to drag her back towards their destination…the ninja village of Kohona. "I don't know why I put up with you."_

"_Don't get mad, don't be mean." She jerked her ear out from between his teeth, "Dobe."_

"_I'm not, I'm speaking fact." Kyubi glared at the gates of the village. "Let's hurry up and get this over with. It's past your bedtime. Baka."_

"_Don't call me baka, dobe! And I haven't had a bedtime in __**CENTURIES**__!"_

"_Well, you're getting one. As soon as we finish here." _

"_You're not the boss of- oooh, look, humans!" klutz went over to toy with them. They stared up at her in horror as their Justus exploded into nothingness._

"_Thank you, short attention span." Kyubi sighed, sitting down and tossing a few around with his paw. He wasn't having as much fun as his sister, but that was to be expected. She was younger and more easily entertained. _

"_If we're going to destroy Kyubi..." One human looked from one of the two foxes to the other, "We need to get rid of the other one, first."_

_A few of the other ninjas nodded. _

"_How in the HELL are we supposed to do that?!" One called, "She just blows up our Justus."_

"_I'll do it." A tall blonde man stepped forward. He was holding a small, moving, lump in his arms. Kyubi could tell it smelled human. _

"_Hokage." Kyubi's voice held only disgust._

"_Kyubi." The man replied, and then looked at the other kitsune, who was still distracted by tormenting ninjas. "I don't believe I've met your companion."_

"_My sister, Klutz."_

"_Is that a name or just her job?"_

"_Both, unfortunately. Mother wasn't good with names."_

"_She named you well, at the very least."_

"_I'm RIGHT HERE!" Klutz whined, pouting. She wasn't sure she liked where the conversation was going. From her name – she couldn't help THAT – to her mother. Mother. She had to restrain a sniffle. _

"_I thought you were occupied." Kyubi smirked, and then looked back at the Hokage. "So, what's in the little cloth there?"_

_Klutz leaned down, sniffing it. "Not even a decent snack." She growled, "It's a BABY! What are you expecting to do with a baby?!"_

_At that, the Hokage's blue eyes suddenly turned to her. "Funny you should ask." He lifted back the cloth so that both Kyubi and Klutz could see the little girl's big blue eyes. _

_She cooed, reaching for the female kitsune. The Hokage nodded. "I thought you two were made for each other."_

"_What?! What are you talking about?! I'm not carting around this kid." Klutz looked back at Kyubi. He shrugged, sniffing the baby as well. She reached up and hugged his nose, devoid of fear._

_Klutz burst out laughing. "You should see what you look like! Letting this thing hang onto your nose like you were some docile little house-pet."_

"_Very funny." Kyubi pulled his nose from the baby's grip, "Go-"_

"_SEALING JUTSU!" The Hokage bit into his thumb. Blood coated it and he began to make marks on the baby girl. _

"_What?! What do you expect to do about my anti-chakra?" Klutz bristled, her hackles rising anyway._

_There was no response from the Hokage. The next thing she knew, she had her own symbols on her forehead. They felt like they were sinking into her fur. Kyubi could only stand by and watch. However, when the Hokage started making hand-seals, he stood between the Hokage and his sister. _

_Unfortunately, the damage had been done. Suddenly, Klutz's body went limp and the baby was crying. Louder than normal. Almost as if…something inside were screaming to get out._

"_WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SISTER?!" Kyubi snarled, taking a stronger stance between his sister's body and the Hokage. _

"_She will no longer be able to torture this village and others." The blonde responded, looking up at Kyubi benignly, "She's been sealed into the child." _

"_I'll get you for this, Hokage. Mark my words. I will get revenge for my sister." Kyubi snapped, taking the child and tossing it into the woods. There would be no way for such a small baby to survive the fall. At least, not without Klutz's help._

"_You have just killed your sister, if she did not save the child." The Hokage stated calmly, appearing to draw another from his long white coat. This one was a boy, with much darker blue eyes than the first. _

"_Take care, my son." The Hokage kissed the child's forehead, "And take good care of your friend when you find her."_

_The baby cooed, as if he understood, and wrapped his little arms around the Hokage's neck. Taking whole handfuls of his father's blonde hair and holding onto them for dear life. _

_The Kyubi was the one to bristle this time, a mix of anger and grief blinding him to decent sense. The Hokage did the same Jutsu. Kyubi's last thought, as he was pulled from his body, was that he may never see his little sister again._


	2. Chapter 1

**Present Day:**

"Naruto-kun, slow down. You'll get sick."

"Well, if you would eat more, Ishi-chan, there'd be less for me to eat!"

"And then you'd complain you were hungry all the time."

The blonde ninja sat back a little, his arms crossed over his chest. He pouted away from his roommate's sky-blue eyes, her logic defeating him. Ishi sighed, starting to clean up from breakfast.

"Go. You'll be late for training." Ishi tightened the headband around her forehead with the kanji for "freedom" in the middle. Naruto looked at her, suddenly aware of his own forehead protector. He felt a little bad, Ishi had been kicked out of the academy and he had been allowed to stay.

"You sure you don't want to come with? You might learn something." Naruto shot her his usual grin.

"Yeah, and blow everyone up in the process." Ishi shook her head, "Go. Now."

"But I want you to come! I've been learning a lot and I want to show you."

"And risk your sensei's 'Thousand Years of Death'? No thanks."

"You HAVE to come!"

"They're still at it in there?" Sakura asked incredulously. The dark-haired ninja shrugged.

"This is actually a little bit amusing. Their little 'lover's quarrel'."

It had been the running joke for years that Uzumaki Naruto and Katanra Ishiana had been dating since childhood. It had quieted down a bit, but the fact that they were still living together was no help.

"Hn. They're not lovers, Sasuke. Give it up." Sasuke looked towards the familiar voice of Grason Robin.

The girl was short, barely making four foot nine inches tall. She was also built like an anorexic, her dark skin stretched over her light and fragile bones. However, he had no doubt in his mind that she was too fast for anyone to try breaking them.

Her long black hair hung in twin braids to mid-back, feathers hanging off the end with beads braided into the raven locks. Her eyes reminded everyone of chunks of ice, and there was talk of a third beneath her forehead protector. Of course, few ever saw her with it off. Her leather pants had fringes going down the legs, her shirt the same way. However, her shirt had only one shoulder and was sleeveless.

"But why?" Sasuke asked, a smirk curling over his pale lips, "After all, it's fun. And probably true."

"Hn. And the stuff they say about you and Kami-chan is, too, then." Robin was referring to Sasuke's roommate, who had been with him since before the Uchiha clan was destroyed.

Sasuke blushed bright red, and then looked at the door. There was a grin of triumph dancing in Robin's blue eyes, but her face remained emotionless. Sasuke looked at Sakura, who was shooting daggers at Robin with her glare. Robin turned her own glare on the two, and Sakura scurried to hide behind Sasuke.

"Wimp." She stated, "Now, are you going to knock on the door and get them, or not?"

"Fine. I will." Sasuke groaned, knocking. Ishi appeared at the door with a small smile.

"Hang on a sec, Sasuke." She turned away from the door, "NARUTO! You didn't tell me your friends were WAITING for you!"

"I came to stop the lover's quarrel, actually. We may need the dobe later." He grinned. He heard a snort of disgust from Robin, behind him, but ignored it.

"The what?" Ishi turned on him, and her hand came around to slap him. He caught her wrist, finding his eyes staring into hers. They were silent a moment, staring at each other.

"Come on, teme." Naruto grabbed Sasuke's collar, starting to drag him off, "We'll be late. Bye, Ishi-chan! Bye…Robin!"

"Hn." Robin responded, looking over at Ishi. The smaller girl squeaked and walked inside to finish breakfast. And actually get dressed.


	3. Chapter 2

Naruto had come home to an empty house. There was a small note on the door. "Gone shopping – Ishi."

But, he could barely make it out. It had been crossed out.

"Naruto, Ishi's with me. We need to talk when you get home. Iruka."

Naruto went pale. Ishi only went to Iruka-sensei when there was an emergency. The house seemed to be fine, but Ishi's little tawny kitten was batting at his foot and meowing. Naruto picked up the kitten, snuggling the tiny animal to his cheek.

"Little Savage? What's wrong?" He asked, the kitten just meowing again.

When Little Savage, generally the silent hunter, wouldn't shut up…there was really something wrong. Naruto set him down and the kitten went running up to Ishi's room. Naruto ran after the kitten, making it to the room before Little Savage. He skidded to a halt in front of her room, looking around in horror.

"No…" Naruto whispered, looking around at the generally spotless room.

It reeked of something Naruto couldn't place, but the blood on Ishi's sheets…he had to assume that was hers. He could practically hear her screaming. His fists clenched as he glared away from the room. The bedding was an utter mess, Ishi's good work on making it ruined.

Yes, he and Ishi really needed to talk. Whatever had happened…those people were going to pay. Red energy surrounded him as he glared back at the room again.

_Calm down, calm down, _The voice of Kyubi muttered in his ear, _No need to get worked up over nothing, Kit._

_Then what do you think happened?! _Naruto snarled at the kitsune.

_Well…I'm not sure, but it looks like rape and attempted murder to me._

_Gee, you're a lot of help._

_Head for Iruka's house. Make sure she's fine. _

_If any thing happens to her…_

_I know, kit, I know. Calm down. Just hurry, I've got a very bad feeling about this. _

Iruka looked at the one student he had ever had to expel from the academy, and he had wished he hadn't every day after. Katanra Ishiana, a.k.a. Ishi, sat across from him with a teacup in hand. Her hand was shaking as well.

Where in the heck is Naruto, Iruka asked himself, He should've been here by now.

There was a quick knock at the door. Iruka jumped up, praying it was Naruto. He opened the door, seeing the genius of the class – next to Sasuke – staring up at him.

"Is she all right?!" Minnamino Kami sounded very worried, her long brown hair still a mess. She looked like she hadn't had a time to try and brush out her brown curls; her green eyes were filled with tears.

Kami had dropped out of the Academy, determined to be on the same team as Ishi. The two were very good friends, though not quite as close as Naruto and Ishi.

"She's…"

"Don't you DARE tell me she's fine and lie to me, Iruka-sensei!" Kami stomped one foot, green skirt nearly flying up to indecency. Her emerald-colored sleeves added flair to her every motion.

"K-Kami-chan?" Ishi stepped up behind Iruka.

"Ishi!" Kami hugged the girl close. And, for the first time since she had come to Iruka's house, Ishi was crying. "You're not okay, are you?" Kami asked after a few minutes. She looked at Iruka, who shook his head.

"Sorry I'm late! Where the hell is Ishi?!"

"Naruto-kun!" Ishi ran over and hugged him. Naruto stared down at her, hugging her back. She was like his little sister. And, he promised himself, if anything happened to her…whoever had hurt her was going to pay very dearly.

Sasuke looked from Kami, to Ishi and Naruto, then at Iruka. A single look from the Chunin promised explanations later.

Kami looked up at the cherry tree nearby Iruka's house.

_What happened? _Robin's flat and uninterested voice echoed in her mind.

_I don't know. I didn't get a chance to talk to her yet. _

_She reeks of sex. And blood._

_I was noticing that too. She was in quite a state when I got here. _

_Hn. Little pest. She probably couldn't even fight back. _

_Robin-chan, be nice to her. She's one of the few who understand what we have been through. _

_Hn. Neither of us was raped._

_No, but she grew up without parents, like you did. She's been hated by the village, like you._

_Then why did you say "we"._

_That's my business. _

Kami could feel the telepath searching her mind for answers. When Robin came upon a solid block in the other girl's mind, Kami smiled a little.

_Why don't you come inside, Robin-chan? Make sure Ishi's all right. Have some tea._

There was an audible snort from the cherry-tree this time. _I'll pass. I could care less about the little brat._

_Stop acting like your cousin._

_He's not my cousin._

_He is so. Well, cousin-in-law. Sort of._

_Hn. No, he's not. Gaara and I are not related and never have been. _

_Could've fooled me. _

_Hn. I hate you, kitsune._

_Same to you, three-eyes. _With that, Kami shot a benign smile at the cherry tree and started to walk back inside.

Ishi was upstairs. Most likely showering, since no one had wanted her to until Naruto got there. In case the blonde boy was still incensed enough to assume she wasn't there and go on a rampage. Meanwhile, the others were waiting for her to come down.

Kami sat next to Sasuke, across from Naruto. Who looked grim, if such a thing was possible for the fox-boy. Yes, she could tell. She herself was half-kitsune, so her sensitive nose could tell these things.

Naruto glared at Sasuke. Sasuke glared back. Though they both didn't say anything, an icy glare from Kami shut them both up. It was surprising that she could keep them quiet. That Naruto would even respond to her. Let alone listen.

Ishi finally came down; her generally pale skin was bright red. As if she had tried to scrub it raw. Naruto ran over and helped her down the stairs. She leaned on him, mostly for support.

How cute. Kami could just read the words in Sasuke's expression. She poked him in the kneecap. He looked at her oddly.

"What did you do that for?" He hissed.

"Stop looking at them like that, Sasuke-kun." She whispered back, "There's nothing between them. The most love there is is that she's like his little sister and he's like her big brother."

Sasuke grunted and looked away. Back at Ishi, who had her arms folded over the table and her head on her arms. She wasn't crying. It just looked like she was resting. Naruto wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She looked up at him and nodded, drawing the blanket around her like it was protective armor. Naruto sat quietly beside her and waited for her to speak.

She didn't. She didn't even look at Iruka. She just stared at the table with empty eyes.

_Klutz? What happened? _The Kyubi asked.

_Shut up, Kyubi. _The female kitsune was almost in as bad shape as the girl on the outside. She sounded close to tears, which was not normal for her.

_You can tell me. It's okay. No one can hear us. _

_It's not that. Just thinking about it, makes me and her relive it._

_Relive what? What happened? Tell me, Damnit!_

_I…fine, but she's going to sleep before I say anything. I'll tell them what happened. _

_That's fine. Whatever you have to do…_

On the outside, Ishi shuddered a little before she looked up with golden-brown eyes.

"Klutz." Kami greeted. The girl/kitsune nodded.

"Kami."

Naruto's eyes changed as he took on the form of the Kyubi. Sasuke jumped up to take a stance, but Kami set a hand on his wrist.

"Sit down, Sasuke. They won't hurt us." Iruka sighed, "So…what did happen?"

Klutz gulped down a little more tea, looking straight at Kami. Or, rather, through her. Just into empty space.

"Six men…two women…I couldn't see their faces. Probably ANBU. They had those kinds of masks. Maybe they just stole them."

"You're getting off-subject." Kyubi pointed out.

"No, I'm not. Shut up." There was no strength behind her demand, but Kyubi complied.

"Anyway, they jumped Ishi when she was shopping and dragged her back to the house. What they did…'rape' doesn't even cover it. They tortured her in the worst ways possible. They called her 'demon' and 'monster' and they destroyed every ounce of the tiny shards of confidence she had inside herself. I…I tried to help, but she wouldn't let me. She said it was better if we just ignored them, and then they would go away. She told me to save my energy for healing."

"Smart girl." Kyubi stated, but couldn't help sliding his arms around his sister's shoulders. "Breathe. If you hyperventilate, then what will she do?"

"Same, most likely."

"We're getting off topic again." Kami prompted quietly.

"Very well. I healed her the best I could. I couldn't help myself, though. I put Ishi to sleep, so that she wouldn't have to see what I was about to do. I killed every single one of those fucking bastards. I took their bodies away and stuffed them in a cave somewhere. When I got home, I cleaned up the blood and…well; I tried to clean her up as well as possible. But, she woke up somewhere in the middle and wouldn't let me finish. She just got dressed again and came here."

"Could you lead us there?" Sasuke asked. He didn't like being ignored. But, that was what everyone was doing.

"Where?"

"The caves where you dumped the bodies."

"I could, probably…but, I'm going to sleep a little bit. Tomorrow, probably, I will."

"Sleep, Klutz." Kyubi whispered as he rocked her back and forth, "You did well."

She just nodded, closing her eyes. Her hair slipped from its reddish-brown color to its usual blue-black and she curled up in Kyubi's arms. Kami's fists clenched over the table, and Sasuke could see her nails lengthening into claws.

"Kami…" He set a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down."

She looked at him, her eyes slits of gold. Her hair was growing streaks of silver. "Calm down? Calm down?! My best friend was just…and you want…" She growled, standing. "I have to get out of here." She then turned and walked out. Sasuke pounced on her as she stepped foot outside the door, sitting on her back.

"You're not going anywhere. Not like this. You could hurt someone."

"Get off of me! Now, Sasuke!"

"No. I won't. I'm not going to let you take on every ninja you see because you can't see past the red in your eyes."

"I said off, Sasuke!"

"Not a chance. You're staying."

What Sasuke hadn't expected was for her to flip him over and sit on him. "Good thing to know, Sasuke. Don't bother trying to hold me. You'll always end up on bottom. Now how mighty do you feel, Sasuke? Now that you're just like Naruto?"

"Kami-chan." Robin stood behind the two of them and Kami whirled around to look at the girl. "He's not worth it. Get off him."


	4. Chapter 3

"Don't take his side, Robin!" Kami's fists clenched so tightly that her claws tore through the skin in her hands.

"Hn. I'm not. I'm saving you from accidentally kissing with him. He's not your type."

"That's it!" Sasuke pushed the girl off of him and jumped up, "This has gone on long enough!" He was blushing madly.

"Sasuke? Are you…blushing?" Naruto had to smother his laughter.

"Shut up, dobe."

"Sasuke, you're mean."

"Don't start."

Robin, meanwhile, had drawn what looked to be two small axes made of stone off her belt. "Hn. Did you really want to start something, Uchiha?" She asked, blue eyes narrowing.

"Everyone, stop it!" They all turned to look at Ishi, "Stop fighting!" She held her head, her hands covering her eyes. Her shoulders started to shake.

Robin grunted, setting her weapons back onto her belt.

"I'm here, sis." Kyubi set his head on hers, "I'm here for you. Come on, I'll take you to a safer place."

"Don't you dare move her, Naruto!" Sasuke snapped, "She needs to stay near people!"

"That's not Naruto." Robin commented idly.

"Glad to see that not everyone here's an idiot." Kyubi nodded. "Nice job, three-eyes."

"Call me that again, and you'll be missing teeth."

"Oooh, I'm so scared. Do you know how long it's been since a Jaganshi defeated me?"

"A what?"

Kyubi sighed. "Doesn't matter. At least, not now."

Ishi tilted her head up and Kyubi brushed away the stray tears that were drifting down her cheeks. "N-Naruto-kun?" She asked.

"Not exactly. The kittling's trying to digest all the information about what happened to you."

Sasuke arched a brow. "Kitt…ling?" He asked, having to keep back his laughter. Kami stood, cuffing him upside the head before starting to brush off the back of her skirt.

"Shut up, Sasuke." She appeared back to normal, "It's a regular term of endearment from one older kitsune to a younger one. My mother used to call me the same thing."

"Oh." Sasuke said nothing else.

"Where will you take Ishi?" Kami asked.

"What do you mean, where will I take her?!" Naruto was also back to normal, "I'm not taking her anywhere! She and I are staying here!"

"But, Naruto-kun," Ishi asked, looking up at him, "What about Little Savage?"

"Great…a family of animals." Iruka rolled his eyes. Kami giggled.

"Iruka-sensei, at least you're somewhat balanced. Come on, two foxes, a kitten and a dolphin?"

"How did you find out what my name meant?" He asked.

"Research. Long and painstaking research."

"What were you trying to research?" He asked.

"You and Kakashi-sensei. It is everywhere, after all." Kami smiled a little, "Come on, Sasuke. We have to get home. Let Ishi-chan get some sleep." She looked back at the other female, "Will you be joining us, Robin-chan?"

"Hn. No. I'm going to go scout for any more fake ANBU." With that, Robin disappeared in little more than a blur.

Kami shrugged, tugging Sasuke off by his ear. There was no other way the Uchiha was moving.

"Sorry, Kami-chan…I have somewhere else I need to be." He disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto heard a voice in his mind, though.

_Meet me at the Hokage statue after Ishi goes to sleep, please._

Naruto blinked. When did Sasuke learn telepathy?

_Long story. I'll tell you there._

_What do you want to meet me there for, anyway?_

_Just come, after the brat goes to sleep._

_She's not a brat, teme._

_Yes she is dobe._

_I don't think Kyubi would like it if you called his sister a brat._

_As a matter of fact, I wouldn't. Watch where you're stepping, Raven-boy._

_Oooh, I'm shaking._

_Naruto, when we get there, can I kill him?_

_No. _

_Why? He's annoying me and insulted our sister._

_I annoy you and you don't say you want to kill me._

_Still, if I kill you, I die too._

_Shut up._

_You brought me into this._

_Just…let it drop._

_Fine._

Both Kyubi and Sasuke fell silent. Naruto looked at Iruka.

_Tell dolphin-man to take care of my sister. _Kyubi growled.

Naruto burst out laughing, causing Ishi and Iruka to jump.

"Iruka-sensei…Kyubi told me to say to take care of his sister."

"What's so funny about that?" Ishi asked.

"He called him 'dolphin-man'."

Iruka groaned, dropping his head into his hand. "Is there no end to this?"

"Apparently not." Naruto shrugged. "Do you have a guest room or-"

"Hold your horses, Naruto-kun." Ishi set her hands on her hips.

"I don't see any horses." Naruto muttered.

"Knuckle-brain."

"Brat."

"Baka."

"Aho."

"ENOUGH!" Naruto and Ishi both turned to Iruka. They had never heard the Chunin use such a loud voice.

"You'd better go with Iruka-sensei. Sleep. I'll be back soon." Naruto kissed her forehead, and then disappeared out the door.

Iruka was sure that both he and Naruto had scared the girl at this point. She had her arms wrapped around her waist as if she were afraid someone was going to stick a kunai through it.

Suddenly, the back door burst open. Ishi turned wide eyes to the silhouette in the doorway, an all-too-familiar ANBU mask covering the person's face.

"Iruka, I've come for the kitsune."

"Now what does Sasuke want?!" Naruto muttered, climbing easily up the side of the statue.

"Took you long enough to get here." Sasuke was sitting calmly on top of the statue, watching the blonde climb up. "Why didn't you just use a Disappearance Jutsu?"

"I didn't feel like it." In all truth, he hadn't thought of it.

"Fine. Your loss."

"What do you want, teme?!" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, looking back over his shoulder at where he had left Ishi in Iruka's care.

"Sit down, I'll tell you."

Naruto appeared in front of Sasuke, sitting just inches away from the darker-haired boy.

"Personal space." Sasuke growled, though there was a visible blush on his cheekbones.

"I thought you only blushed for Kami-chan, Sasuke." Naruto giggled.

"I'm not blushing." Sasuke argued.

"Yes," Naruto poked him in the nose, "you are."

"Cut it out. You're worse than Kami." Sasuke blushed a little more.

"Hn. Get over yourselves." Robin landed behind the two of them. She sat cross-legged. "You two look like an old married couple."

The statement made Sasuke turn a deeper crimson, Naruto turning slightly pink as well. Robin looked at Naruto, then at Sasuke.

"So, what are you two bakas doing?" She asked, fiddling with the end of her braid.

"Trying to have a private conversation." Sasuke growled, "What about you?"

Robin suddenly fell silent. Then, she just disappeared. Naruto blinked, and then shivered.

"That was weird…" Naruto shrugged, "Back to the previous discussion. Why are you blushing, Sasuke-teme?" He poked Sasuke in the nose again.

"That's not what we're here for." Sasuke stood up, turning his back to the blonde. Naruto was suddenly serious.

"What's going on, Sasuke?" He asked.

"First of all, Kami is not my girlfriend." Sasuke snapped.

"No kidding. Why would she go out with a guy like you? You're moody all the time; you never bring her anything…"

"Shut up, dobe." Sasuke didn't need to hear about all the things he HADN'T done for his roommate. His relationship with her was very much like Naruto's and Ishi's. But, she didn't need as much protection as Ishi did. "What the-"Sasuke was tackled before he could turn around. The sound of feet might've warned him, but he had been too lost in his thoughts to notice.

"Hah-hah! Now you're on bottom." Sasuke blushed again, pushing the kitsune boy off him.

"So, why do you blush when I get so close to you?" Naruto suddenly looked up.

_Kyubi? Do…do you…_

_I smell it…the smell of blood. It's coming from…_

The fox-demon trailed off, but Naruto had no doubt about where it was coming from.

"Sasuke. We have to go back, NOW! Move it!"

In a flash, they were back at Iruka's house. Kami stood with wide eyes, staring at a crumpled paper in her hand. No doubt, written in Iruka and Ishi's blood.

Iruka lay on a stretcher a little ways off, the medical Nin hurrying him to the hospital. Robin held Little Savage, though the little kitten mewed and tried to get away.

"Hold still, you mangy feline." Robin growled. Little Savage paid no heed, jumping out of her arms and running up into Naruto's jacket.

"What happened?!" He snapped, glaring from Robin to Kami.

"Hn. I don't know. Looks like whoever it was hit Iruka pretty hard and wrote that, then took Ishi." Robin jerked her thumb to the note.


	5. Chapter 4

Naruto closed his eyes, the pupils changing to mere slits when they opened. Sasuke set a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Shut up, Raven." Kyubi snarled from inside Naruto's body. "Let me see that!" He snatched it from Kami's hands.

"We have the kitsune. Don't bother coming after us, we're doing you a favor. Before she kills again, we will take care of her." There was no name. Trust the cowards who would kidnap a terrified girl not to dare write their names.

"I can track them." Robin stated, "I can find out what happened."

"I'll track them. You find out how severe their punishment is going to be." Kyubi growled, crumpling the note in his fist. He turned to Sasuke. "You fast enough to catch us if we run?"

"Of course." Sasuke nodded.

"Then, we're off. Kami, Three-eyes. Follow us when you can."

Before Robin could snap at him not to call her that, he was gone.

Ishi was barely awake when she felt the first pain. A kunai grazed her cheek, opening a wound there.

"Eh?" She rubbed her bleary eyes, suddenly being dragged up to her feet by her hair.

"There you are, little monster." A voice snarled, "I was wondering how long you'd be out."

"I'm not a-" She was cut off as a hand connected with her cheek.

"Shut up."

_Let me take care of them, Ishi…_Klutz pleaded, _you won't feel anything._

_No! I don't want…anyone to get hurt._

_They'll hurt you if we don't do anything._

_So? _Ishi seemed to curl into a ball, not appearing to notice any of the pain being inflicted on her. Blocking it out, blocking out her own screams. _It doesn't matter._

_It does. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and fight._

_Fight?! Are you kidding?!_

_I'm deadly serious._

_There have to be hundreds of ninjas in this camp._

_Only fifty. I can smell every one of them._

There was a long silence, though Ishi didn't relish it. Long nails, no doubt filed for her torture, were ripping off her clothes and tearing at her skin as…

Ishi had made up her mind, even as tears of pain fell down her cheeks and her pleading was ignored and they all laughed at her.

_Are you sure you won't screw up?_

_Extremely. I've learned a lot of things from being in a human body._

_A-All right. But, I just want to sleep. _

_Not a problem, kit. Not a problem…_

Ishi was asleep the next moment, and a good thing too. The next thing that happened was Klutz began her rampage.

The entire camp was decimated. A few ninjas remained alive, even as the creature stood over them.

"S-Stop. Please…" One of them begged. She picked him up by his throat.

"So now it's 'please'? Why should I listen to you?" She tossed him into the tree as if he weighed no more than a feather. "Did you listen to the kit when she begged all of you to stop? No, you didn't. So, now it's my turn not to listen to you!"

"Stop, Klutz!" Kyubi's hand grabbed her wrist as she raised it for a final strike.

"It's the other fox child." The remaining ninjas whispered.

"I would refrain." Sasuke stood on Kyubi's other side, kunai in hand. "You make me sick. If it weren't for these two, I'd kill you right now."

His sharingans had activated and the ninjas stared at him in horror.

"Who ordered you to hurt my sister?" Kyubi growled, "Tell me, or I swear, I will make your lives a **living hell**."

"Why should we tell you?" One of the bolder ones asked.

"Hn." Suddenly, they beheld another creature. This one had green-tinged skin, blue eyes all over it. The one in its forehead looked from ninja to ninja.

"They did it of their own free will." The one with all the eyes replied, "They wanted revenge for an idiot gamble Klutz made years ago."

Kyubi's eyes narrowed. "This was all over a game of dice?" He asked in a dangerously quiet voice, "You tore my sister up this badly over a game of DICE?!"

They cowered before him, seeing the red chakra swirling around him. Klutz's anti-chakra, however, caused a little bit of spontaneous combustion of said chakra. It only made it more terrifying.

"Do you really wish to feel my wrath? The entire heat of it?!" Kyubi snapped.

The demon with all the eyes stepped forth. It was female, actually. "If we're talking heat, as in fire…that's my forte." She closed the two normal eyes, a large dragon made entirely of blue-black flames appearing behind her. It didn't blow up, obviously not made of chakra.

"I remember you…" She whispered, "You're the so-called 'demon-slayers' that made my life a living hell until I finally scraped up the courage to defend myself."

"Robin?" Sasuke stared at the girl with wide eyes. She didn't respond.

"Why don't we kill them right now?" She asked Kyubi, a malicious glint in her eyes. All of them.

"Save one." Kyubi replied, "After all, dead men tell no tales."

Sasuke began to back away. He turned away as the two demons began to kill the rest of the ninja. The last disappeared.

Suddenly, he had Ishi's arms wrapped around him. "Sasuke…make them stop…"She moaned, looking up at him with tears in her blue eyes.

Kyubi and Robin were paying no attention to her. Too busy with their bloodsport to care. Sasuke slid Ishi's arms from around him, grabbing Kyubi's shoulder and turning the kitsune to face his Sharingans.

"Kyubi. Stop it. You may not care, but you're terrifying Ishi!" He pointed at the girl who was curled up in a sobbing ball beneath a tree.

Kyubi's eyes softened a little and he nodded. He motioned for Robin to stop, and she complied. The eyes on her skin closed, save for the one in the middle of her forehead. She covered it with her forehead protector and the dragon disappeared.

"It's over. The one left." Kyubi growled. Robin nodded, disappearing again.

Naruto's eyes melted back into his normal ones. He slowly started to walk over to Ishi.

"DON'T!" She screamed, scrambling up the tree to get away from him.

"Ishi-chan. Get down from there; you'll break your neck." Naruto said stubbornly.

"Naruto-kun? Is…is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. Please get down, now. You're going to need some clean clothes, huh?"

"But…you're covered in blood. Their blood…" She pulled her knees to her chest, starting to cry again.

Naruto looked at Sasuke. He nodded and pulled out and extra set of clothes. However, it wasn't his usual orange outfit.

"I thought you needed to wear something besides day-glow orange. I bought you some clothes. I didn't know what size the girl wears."

"Are you being…nice to me, Sasuke?"

"Don't read too much into it." Sasuke glared away from Naruto. Also trying to ignore the crying girl in the tree.

"We'll go back to the statue and you can tell me what you want." Naruto responded, and then disappeared to go change.


	6. Chapter 5

"What happened?" Sasuke asked flatly.

Ishi had gone silent and didn't respond. At least she was curled up so that he couldn't see anything he didn't want to. Just her knees and her bare shoulders. Well, he didn't really want to see the scratches going down over her skin. Still, he continued.

"If you don't tell someone, it'll come back to haunt you."

No response.

"Will you talk to Iruka?"

Silence.

"Kakashi?"

"Maybe."

"The Hokage?"

Silence. Sasuke took that as a no.

"Kami-chan?"

Silence. It actually surprised him.

"Kakashi?"

"Maybe…not likely."

"Come on, he's good at the whole psychology thing."

"I don't know…" Ishi looked ahead, "Will…will he hurt me?"

Sasuke was shocked at the question. "Hurt you? That's not like Kakashi. He's more of a big teddy bear." But added under his breath, "a big perverted teddy bear."

"Uhm…maybe." Ishi rubbed her eyes.

"Give him a chance. He might be able to help."

"Yo. Did someone say my name?" The silver-haired Jounin asked, appearing in the tree next to Ishi. She didn't flinch.

"Kakashi-sensei, don't scare her."

Kakashi looked at Ishi, then at his student. "She doesn't look too scared to me."

Ishi looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and then punched him hard in the solar-plexus. Kakashi coughed.

"But…she does hit hard."

Sasuke dropped his head into his hand. Ishi jumped out of the tree. She just wandered off, like a spirit with nowhere to go.

"You'd better follow her, in case she tries something." Sasuke advised the Jounin.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day that one of my students could give me advice."

"Start waking up." Sasuke turned away. "What is that way, anyway?"

"A lake, that's all."

Sasuke's mind turned to the worst. "You don't think she would…you know, try to drown herself, do you?"

"How should I know?" Kakashi was very serious, however. He disappeared after the girl, leaving Sasuke in numb ignorance.

"Where'd Ishi-chan go?" Naruto asked, looking around.

"Talking with Kakashi." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, "Don't worry, not about anything perverted."

"That makes me feel a little better. Well…at least Kakashi-sensei would've thought to bring her some fresh clothes." Naruto responded. Sasuke looked over at the blonde.

The jeans and black shirt fit him so well that he had to fight to keep from blushing.

"Sasuke, are you trying not to blush?" Naruto asked, batting his eyelashes.

"Maybe, what's it to you?" Sasuke growled.

"You think I'm pretty!" Naruto said in a song-song voice, "You wanna hold me, you wanna kiss me, you wanna date me."

Sasuke couldn't think up a proper retort. He just gulped audibly and looked away.

Naruto appeared in front of him. "So, is it true?"

Sasuke turned, looking back at him. "Personal…space…" Sasuke growled, "Dobe. I thought your brat sister would've taught you that much."

"It's true. You think I'm cute." Naruto grinned a little wider.

Sasuke clapped his hand over Naruto's mouth. "Shut up."

The two disappeared and reappeared on the statue. Naruto jerked his mouth from beneath Sasuke's hand.

"You think I'm hot, you think I'm hot." Naruto teased. The Uchiha glared away from him.

"Admit it. What're you afraid of?" The blonde asked, right up in Sasuke's face.

Sasuke just snapped. He pushed Naruto back, nearly off the statue.

"It's true! You like me."

"Stop saying that. I only like you a little. I barely tolerate you."

"Are you sure?" His nose was inches away from Sasuke's. And he was moving closer.

Finally, Sasuke just gave up. He didn't seem to mind as Naruto's lips finally touched his. Naruto backed up a little.

"What…I was only kidding, you know."

"Really?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Why do that if you were just kidding, hm? I didn't force you."

"You really like me?" Naruto asked, wide-eyed. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest.

"Do you have a problem, dobe?" He asked.

"Uhm…uhm…" Naruto stuttered.

"Admit it, you like me too." Sasuke smirked at the blonde. Who turned an interesting shade of rose.

"It is true, isn't it?" He pressed.

Their conversation was interrupted again, by Robin. Naruto screamed.

"Don't sneak up on us like that!"

"Hn. I wasn't that quiet. I…hate to break up this little love fest," She sounded very insincere about that bit, "But…Ishi's gone."

"She's with Kakashi."

"That's the problem. Kakashi doesn't remember seeing her. He's in the village right now." Robin's eyes narrowed. "I would think you two would be a little bit worried, not pre-occupied making out."

"N-now…"

"Sasuke, you're stuttering." Robin's voice was still emotionless, as usual, "I didn't think you knew how."

Sasuke threw his hands into the air, turning away from her. "There's no way of pleasing you people, is there?! If you really want to know, then stay and watch." He stormed over to Naruto, glaring into the other boy's blue eyes. "Stand still a minute." He snarled under his breath. Naruto looked terrified.

"I'm not going to hurt you, dobe." Sasuke muttered before laying a liplock on him.

Robin didn't seem to react, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you two mind?" She asked.


	7. Chapter 6

Naruto stepped back, his face flushed. Just staring at Sasuke.

"Obviously not. Fine, I'll break it down into words you'll understand." Robin stood between the two. "The Kakashi you sent Ishi with is a clone." She spoke slowly, as if they wouldn't comprehend otherwise.

"How can you tell?" Sasuke asked.

"Different thought-processes." Robin replied, "I'll go get her, I don't need your help. It's not like Kyubi will be any help in Sound anyway."

"WHAT?!" Naruto's surprise from the kiss was broken.

"Did I stutter, or did your ears flap?" Robin asked, looking over at the blonde, "an agent of Orochimaru picked her up and knocked her out. She's headed to Sound now. Orochimaru appears to need a new body. Or just a new bitch, I'm not sure. I'm the only one allowed in Sound…well, except Kami-chan and Aiko-sensei. I'm pretty sure that Orochimaru would rather have a half-demon body than just anti-chakra."

"You're crazy." Sasuke growled, his arm around Naruto's shaking shoulders.

"Hn. If you're just noticing, you're not as smart as everyone says you are."

"I'm not Einstein."

"Not even close to Kami-chan's level, either."

"Why do you keep bringing her into this?!"

Robin rolled her eyes. "Doesn't matter now. See you." She looked at Naruto. Her voice echoed in his head, but it was tenderer than he had ever heard her speak.

_I'll bring her back, Kyubi. She'll be safe with me. No one would dare go against me; they'd have to go through Darky first._

_So, that's what you call him?_

_That's what he told me his name was._

_Ah. He never was one for formalities. _

_What?_

_His real name is Dragon of the Darkness Flame._

_You mean…the one that the demon warriors Hiei, Mercy, Raven and Leona used?_

_Yes. The very same. Hiei was your grandfather, Robin. Leona and Mercy were your aunts. The sweet Raven was your mother._

_What? _Robin froze.

_You heard me. I knew her well. When I call Sasuke 'Raven', it' because he appears so much like your mother. Except that she was always happy and kind and Sasuke's…not. Different poles of the emotional world. _

_Hn._ Talk of her past pushed her to speak of another subject; _can you get into contact with Klutz?_

_You're a telepath, can't you?_

_No…I can't get into contact with her or Ishi. There's something blocking my powers._

_Give me a minute. _Naruto closed his eyes. _Klutz? Klutz? Are you there?_

Great, now his little chatterbox sister chose to shut up. There was silence. Kyubi shook his head, silently tearing at the barrier between them.

_There. You should be able to get to her. Be very careful, three-eyes._

_Stop calling me that. My name is Robin._

_Then, what would you have me call you? I have nicknames for everyone. _

_Not Kami._

_I'm working on hers. Nothing seems to fit, yet. _

_Hn. _Then she went silent.

Ishi slowly opened her eyes. There was no pain this time, no one jerking her up by her hair. Nothing. She was in a warm bed, a quilt tucked in around her, in some nice warm pajamas. She groaned, sitting up.

"Ah. You're awake." Ishi looked up into a pair of golden, snakelike eyes. They were set in a very handsome white face, straight black hair hanging to the man's waist. He was dressed in what looked to be a white kimono, the sleeves falling back at little as he set a hand on her cheek.

Ishi jerked back. "Don't…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He sat down at the side of the bed.

"Who…who are you?" Ishi rubbed her eyes, holding the blanket to her chest and sliding to the edge of the bed next to the wall.

"My name is Manchu Hideaki. You must be Ishiana."

"It…it's Ishi. But, how did you know?" She looked a little scared again.

"You are quite renowned for your beauty. And your skill." Hideaki smiled a little more.

Ishi drew her knees to her chest. "I'm not beautiful." She whispered, "I'm not powerful, either. I just blow stuff up and get into trouble."

He stared at her a moment, then chuckled. "A great wit, as well." He brushed a lock of her slightly curly blue-black hair out of her blue eyes, "I think we'll get along just fine."

Ishi jerked back again. "Don't…don't touch me. I…I'm a monster. I'll only hurt you."

Hideaki only smiled, leaning a little closer to her and held her sapphire gaze. "Like I said, you have a wonderful wit, Katanra-san."

Ishi looked away with a small yawn.

"You should sleep a little longer. Recover your strength." Hideaki sighed. "You must've been hurt very badly. Don't worry, I'll protect you. I won't let Kakashi get you again."

"Kakashi?!" Ishi stared at him with wide eyes.

"Yes. Poor thing, he knocked you out and…oh, I just can't say it."

Ishi knew what he meant. She had been betrayed by another one of her own village. And Sasuke had probably planned on it. And Naruto had let it happen. Ishi's eyes stung with tears and she started to cry.

"Here." He handed her some tissues. Ishi nodded her thanks and blew her nose. "Just sleep." He brushed some tears off her cheeks, lying her down, "You'll be fine."

"Thank you…" Ishi whispered, closing her eyes. Hideaki nodded as she closed her eyes and dropped off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 7

"Now…about the kiss…" Naruto blushed a little as he said it.

"What about it?" Sasuke asked, "It got her to go away, didn't it?"

"Are you saying there was no feeling there?"

"No, I'm not."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the Uchiha. Sasuke rolled his eyes, laying another kiss on the blonde. Though, he kept Naruto's tongue gently clasped between his teeth.

"Let go of my tongue." Naruto ordered, though his words were a bit garbled, as Sasuke had hold of his tongue.

Sasuke did, making a theatrical spit. "Didn't taste that nice anyway."

"How would you know what a nice kiss tastes like? You've never been kissed before."

"Not true." Sasuke shrugged, "I just said Kami-chan and I weren't going out. I never said we never experimented."

Naruto looked quite shocked and surprised. "You mean to tell me that you and…Kami…"

"That Kami and I what?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly.

"You…read…Kakashi's books?"

"I did not. He may have loaned them to me, but I never read them."

"Sasuke! You're mean."

"Don't start that again."

"But it's true."

"So? I hear it all the time, it gets annoying."

"Still, what do you mean 'experimented'?"

Sasuke blushed bright red. "Just a kiss is all."

Naruto looked at him critically.

"All right, it was more than a kiss." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and glared away from Naruto, "But there was no feeling behind it…and we didn't go all the way."

"You had me a minute there." Naruto sighed with relief, "I thought we would be expecting little Uchihas everywhere."

Sasuke shuddered at the thought, turning slightly green. "Ugh. That would…be like incest!"

"Really?" Naruto asked. Sasuke growled.

"Yes, it would. She's more like a sister to me, dobe."

"You would make out with your sister?"

Sasuke dropped his head into his hand. "That is NOT what I meant, and you know it."

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, reappearing in front of Sasuke. Only inches away, again.

"Must…resist…" Sasuke muttered under his breath.

"Too late." Naruto leaned in and kissed him again. Sasuke shrugged and gave in to it.

"Shouldn't you be worried about Ishi?" He asked when he finally pulled away, "After all, if she's hanging with Orochimaru…"

"…I trust Robin." Naruto blatantly lied, "She'll bring Ishi-chan back."

_Finally, you call me by my given name…_The snarl that appeared in Sasuke's head didn't sound very much like Ishi. There was too much suppressed rage behind it.

_Ishi?_

_No. Robin. I'm close to her…I'm watching over her. She's fine. Orochimaru just put her to sleep. He hasn't marked her yet._

_Alert the media._

_Hn. Shut up, Angsty Bunny._

_Don't call me that._

_Why?_

_Just don't._

_Make me, Angsty Bunny._

_Just wait until you get back here._

_I'll be waiting, Angsty Bunny._

"Sasuke? Are you even listening to me?"

"What? What were you saying, dobe?"

"I was saying that Robin should've brought Shikamaru with her. He's getting all fidgety now that all this has happened to Ishi. He actually doesn't think she's too troublesome, if you can believe it."

"I thought he was with Temari."

"He was. Long-distance relationship. It didn't work out. Then, he started tutoring Ishi."

"Oh. So he's the one with the feelings for her."

"Yes, now don't make fun of them. I think it's cute that someone here actually accepts her."

"I accept you, even if I can barely tolerate you."

"Why would you say that, Sasuke? After all the time we've spent together, attached at the mouth? Looks like I'll have to make it up to you…" Naruto tackled the prodigy, who calmly dodged.

"Is that the best you can do, dobe?" He asked a glitter of mischief in his eyes.

"You asked for it. Disappearance Jutsu."

Sasuke looked around a moment. "Where did he go…?" He whispered to himself.

His answer was Naruto pouncing him from behind and pushing him to the ground. "Now who's on top?" Naruto asked.

"Stop yelling that to the whole village." Sasuke muttered.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"Because, some people don't need to know these things and draw the wrong conclusions."

"Too late!" Naruto kissed him again.

"Will you stop tha-?"

"Too late!" Another kiss.

Sasuke didn't bother to fight anymore. Obviously, it wouldn't help.

"Heeeey!" Naruto whined, "Where'd all the love go?"

"You know, you look so cute when you pout." Sasuke teased.

"Hah! It's back!"

"Be ready." Sasuke tackled the blonde over, sitting on him.

"No fair!"

"Life's not fair, dobe. Get used to it."

"Yo! My, aren't you two getting close?" Kakashi grinned from behind his mask.

"Kakashi! Weren't you supposed to be with…oh…" Naruto looked up at the sky.

"Be with…?" Kakashi prompted, looking a bit confused.

"Iruka." Sasuke added, trying to save Naruto from shame, "He's in the hospital."

Kakashi blushed a little. "Uhm…well…I just came from the hospital. But, what does that have to do with anything?!"

"He's back." Sasuke sighed, getting up off Naruto and brushing himself off.

"Why?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head to one side.

"No reason." Naruto lied quickly. "Uhm…come on, Sasuke-teme…" He started to drag the other boy off, leaving a very confused sensei behind them.

"Katanra-san?" Ishi slowly opened her eyes, looking up into Hideaki's gold ones.

"Oh, I'm so sorry…I must've dozed off for quite a while."

"Don't worry about it, you needed it." He held out a tray for her, "Here, you should eat something. You look starved."

"Thanks. Itsutakimasu!" She started to dig in. The ramen and curry reminded her of home. But home reminded her of her pain and the village's betrayal.

He must've seen her hesitation. "Would you like me to eat with you?" He asked, breaking out a second set of chopsticks.

"Please. It's…very lonely in here."

"You can go outside later, if you like." Hideaki smiled, starting on some ramen.

"Really? Thank you."

"Oh! I almost forgot…" He drew a small form from his kimono, "The little one was lost in the woods."

"Little Savage!" Ishi took the kitten and the little animal began to purr. "Thank you, Hideaki-san! Thank you so much for bringing him to me!"

Little Savage turned his orange eyes to the man and made a small hissing noise.

_I don't like this place, either. _Klutz said quietly.

_It's all right. We're safe here. _

_No…I sense a danger. Robin's outside the window._

_Robin? _Ishi's whole body tensed.

"Is something wrong?" Hideaki asked.

"I think so. You see, one of the ninjas from my home village…she's outside the window."

"I see. She must be working for Kakashi."

That would make sense.

"I'll have her brought to you." Hideaki smiled, kissing her cheek, "You really are very kind. But, please, don't be too kind to her."

"Don't worry." Ishi's anti-chakra flared, "No mercy."

_Kit, do you know what you're doing?_

_Yes, Klutz. For the first time, I do._


	9. Chapter 8

"I know you're out there, little one." Orochimaru called in a sickly-sweet voice, "Why don't you come down and play?"

"Hn." Robin hopped out of the trees with her tomahawks in her hands, "I'm not playing, Orochimaru."

"Oh, so you know who I am?" He disappeared, reappearing behind her. "And I know all about you, Grason Robin." He was whispering into her ear, his breath warm over her neck. She jumped away.

"You know about as much as anyone else. I'm special, I'm an orphan, and I have a lousy temper."

"How you underestimate yourself…" Orochimaru sighed and shook his head. "Your name is Grason Robin and you are a Jaganshi demoness. A demoness wielding a Jagan eye. Your parents were Grason Richard and Sagarah Raven. You have several cousins, but you have lived in this village since your father left you for training and got himself killed trying to help those silly 'Teen Titans' of his. Your mother was distraught and ordered the Dragon of the Darkness Flame to eat her. You have been alone ever since.

"You grew up amongst the other young ninjas in the Academy, including Katanra Ishiana and Minnamino Kami. You have had only one lover, Sohma Hideo, but he was killed when the people of Kohona-" He deftly caught the handle of the tomahawk that was thrown at him. "Tender subject?"

"Shut up. You don't even deserve to say his name." Robin snarled, closing her eyes. The dragon appeared behind her, staring at Orochimaru with white-hot intensity. "I know plenty about you, as well."

"Really?"

"When you created Sound, you had very few ninja on your side, so you offered Kabuto a position as your right hand man. Since then, you have had three lovers, besides Kabuto who was recently killed by moi." Robin grinned evilly. She had enjoyed killing Kabuto.

"Your first was a girl of fairy-bug ancestry by the name of Momoko Alia. Everyone, including you, called her Ali. She was brash and unreasonable, but you were with her for ten years. Then, she broke up with you when you tried to mark her and joined a biker gang. She was killed in a rumble a few months later and you had the body delivered to you."

Orochimaru tried to hide the stinging tears in his eyes. He missed Ali every day and tried to cover up his longing for her. She had been beautiful, and she had been good to him. Never had a problem with anything he did until he tried to make her his.

"Next, you seduced a young precognitive named Moan. You wanted to make sure he could bring in his family as well, so you kept him almost as long. However, his gift slowly began to die and he became useless. So, you killed him."

"Untrue." Orochimaru successfully hid the shaking in his voice. Moan had been so sweet, so kind, and he had loved the boy very much. "He died of disease. When his powers went…his soul…went with them…"

"Hn. Touching." Robin wasn't impressed, "Finally, you met a dominant young man by the name of Gen An. You took him on as your latest lover, but couldn't handle him. He was too wild and, well, dominant. He turned you into a toy and you went with it for about…ten more years. Then, you broke off all ties with him and he went on to become a missing Nin. S class, if I'm correct."

"You seem to know a great deal about my love-life." He pointed out. She just rolled her pretty blue eyes.

"Hn. You know too much about my family. Now, are we going to get to fighting or just keep talking?"

"I say, we talk and fight inside."

"Hn. Why should I trust you?" She arched a brow and took a stance.

"You shouldn't." Orochimaru smirked, "But, I'm the one holding Ishiana's life in my hands."

"True, except for one thing."

"Yes?"

"I don't give a damn about the brat. I just can't have the genius of the village sulking or the Hokage going mad because the girl's demon was freed. Hn. Let me talk to Ishi herself. And don't try to bring me to a version of yours. I can sense clones and fakes."

"Of course you can." Orochimaru smirked, "You are a telepath, after all."

Robin nodded, walking in. She was walking into the serpent's lair, and she might never come back out. The thought excited her, though she hid it well. Her life flashed quickly before her eyes, though it wasn't much to look at.

Orochimaru looked back at her, walking calmly down the hall before opening a sliding door and watching as Robin entered. The smirk on his lips might've warned her that she had just stepped into a trap.

Kami sat in her windowsill at home, looking out the window. _Be careful, Robin-chan._ She thought, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back against the frame of the window. Remembering exactly what had happened only a few years ago.

"**Kami, you be careful, okay?" Hideo asked, shooting her his usual grin. **

"**I'm always careful." She replied, crossing her arms over her chest, "But…do you really think it's such a good idea to take her outside the village?"**

**Hideo sighed, looking away. His dark purple eyes locked on the sky, red bangs falling across his milky-white skin to frame his face. He crossed his arms loosely over his broad chest, the green silk of his shirt rustling slightly.**

"**No, but…she needs some time off. I already cleared it with the Hokage and everything." He grinned a little, looking behind Kami, "Ready to go, Robin-chan?" He asked, holding out his hand.**

**Robin nodded, a small blush covering her cheeks. Hideo drew her into his arms and pressed a solid kiss onto the girl's lips. Kami just giggled and looked away. "Go on, you two."**

**Hideo chuckled, turning with his arm still around Robin's shoulder. "See you." He said, starting to leave. **

**Kami had stepped inside and gone through with a normal next few hours – waking Sasuke up, making sure he didn't miss his training or anything, making breakfast – before she heard the scream from the border. **

**It sounded anguished and female. Like…Kami grabbed up her seeds, running out the door. She was running towards the border, hoping to find out what had caused the generally calm and emotionless half-demoness to cry out like that. **

**What she saw made her stop and stare in horror. **

**Hideo lay on the ground, slaughtered. Blood ran everywhere and it had spattered Robin. Robin knelt beside the form of Hideo, shaking his shoulder like a stubborn child. **

"**WAKE UP!" She screeched, "WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!"**

**Her words were drowned out by her sudden sobs and she fell over the body, not seeming to mind that she was being stained with the blood from Hideo's chest-wounds. **

"**Get up, Hideo…" Robin moaned, "Get up…"**

Kami shivered, drawing her knees to her chest. She wasn't sure that Robin could bear losing Ishi. Despite the dark-haired demoness's denial of any feeling toward Ishi, besides hatred, Kami could tell that Ishi was one of the main reasons that Robin hadn't destroyed the village.

"Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone…"


	10. Chapter 9

Ishi was pleased to see Robin fall when her kunai hit. She was getting more and more accurate. The female half-demoness looked up in surprise, drawing out the kunai.

"Brat…the hell do you think you're doing?" Robin asked in a shaky voice. She started to stand as Ishi threw another kunai.

"You came to take me back." She snarled, "I'M NEVER GOING BACK THERE!"

"Brat-" Robin hit her knees again as a third kunai barely missed one of her black braids.

"Don't call me that!"

"Ishi…we all want you to come back. Dead-last's going crazy being worried about you and the lazy bum is fidgeting because I didn't bring him."

"Shut up!" Ishi screamed, walking over and kicking out one leg to hit her in the face. Robin blocked, but she coughed as she moved.

"Would I lie to you about that?"

"Yes, you would. Just to make me go back and endure more torture, you would lie to me."

"God damn you!" Robin suddenly grabbed Ishi's shoulders, flipping her onto her back and sitting on her.

Her forehead protector fell aside and Ishi found herself staring into a third eye on Robin's forehead. Suddenly, Ishi could see herself standing in front of Naruto.

"I'll go get her; I don't need your help. It's not like Kyubi will be any help in Sound anyway." She heard Robin saying, her eyes locked on Naruto's surprised and semi-anguished face.

Suddenly, things shifted, to a scared little child. It was Robin, and Ishi could only assume it was from before the girl had joined the academy. She was being chased by the same men who had attacked Ishi.

"Come back, little demon," One called with a laugh, "Come back so that we can kill you!"

"NO!" Robin sobbed, tripping as the fake ANBU began to rip off her clothes and cut her. The burning came next, a brand of the kanji "bakemono" pressed into the back of her right leg. Then, there was a giant eye in the small of her back.

"Let me go!" The little Robin sobbed, "L-let-"

"Let her go."

"Make me!"

The wooden stake came down hard into Robin's chest, blood spurting forth. Even through the memory, Ishi felt the pain in her own chest, as the small child fell backwards with glassy eyes.

Then, the bastards did the unthinkable. They left the child-Robin there. They left her for the wild animals to pick away her flesh.

Ishi's eyes stung with tears. "R-Robin-chan, I never-"

"That's because I didn't want anyone to know." Robin tore her gaze away, glaring at Hideaki, "Orochimaru, you stay away from this girl. She's coming back to Kohona with me."

"One memory won't convince me to come back. If nothing else, that distances me more and more from Kohona." Ishi pushed Robin off of her, "Doesn't it hurt you still? The fact that your own village…"

"They were NEVER my village!" Robin snapped, "They were never my village and never my people! They MURDERED the only link to my people! Slaughtered him like an animal, they did!" The girl was near hysterics now. "I…I don't blame you at all, Ishi-san…." Ishi stared, starting to wrap her arms around Robin, "I don't blame you at all. But…this bastard…he'll use you in ways they never thought of."

"Robin-chan." Ishi hugged her a little more, looking up at Hideaki. "Please, can she stay? She's been abused as well…" She ran her fingers over Robin's hair.

Hideaki nodded. "Of course she can stay. If, of course, she swears her loyalty to us."

Robin glared at him, "My loyalty isn't something I give away freely to snakes."

"Robin-chan, please…" Ishi begged.

"No. I'd rather he torture me to death than swear anything to him."

Hideaki snapped his fingers. "As you wish, Jaganshi."

And then, the Nin took the girl away. Ishi stared with wide eyes.

"I…I don't understand. Hideaki-san, her story, it…"

"I know," He knelt beside her, sliding his arms around her. Her head rested on his chest and she closed her eyes as he held her, "But, this isn't a house for strays, Ishi-chan. This is a ninja village and we can't take in traitors."

No, they couldn't. Ishi began to see the light. But, at the same time…


	11. Chapter 10

Shikamaru was pacing, something he didn't do often

Shikamaru was pacing, something he didn't do often. He was pacing and impatient. This was more troublesome than anything was worth.

"Shikamaru, calm down." Yamanaka Ino chided, "Just sit down, have a cup of tea-"

"Not while she's out there." Shikamaru responded harshly, "Robin and Ishi-chan should've been back by now. What's taking them so long?"

Maybe Orochimaru had already sunk his hooks into her. Or worse, maybe Ishi was at the moment on the rack, or being forced to commit seppuku.

Shikamaru shuddered. No matter how troublesome it was, he would protect his Ishi-chan. It was the least he could do for her after he had left her alone.

He looked out the window. "Where are they?" He asked for the millionth time before beginning to pace again.

"They'll be back soon." Asuma assured him, lighting a cigarette, "Just calm down and breathe…"

He glared at his sensei, and then continued pacing at a much faster rate. Where were they?

His heart beat hard in his chest. Maybe Ishi-chan was already hurt, or…or…

Shikamaru swallowed the lump in his throat, allowing his resolve to replace itself. He had made up his mind.

"I'm going after them!"

"What?!" Ino jumped to her feet, "Shikamaru, are you crazy?! You could get killed, or worse!"

Shikamaru glared at her, strapping on his kunai and disappearing out the door. He had to get to her, had to convince her to come back home. Come back to him.

He disappeared into Sound, avoiding ninjas carefully. Finally, he found Ishi's room, sneaking in.

"Ishi-chan…thank the stars you're alright." He sighed, "You've been very troublesome."

She turned, looking at him with wide eyes.

"S-Shikamaru-kun? What are you doing here?" She asked, standing from the windowsill. Shikamaru held out his arms for her.

"I had to make sure you were safe. Where's Robin-san?"

"Oh, Shikamaru, it's horrible." Ishi burst into tears, but only jerked away as Shikamaru tried to hold her.

"Ishiana-san…" Shikamaru turned, seeing Orochimaru and jumping into the shadows, "It's time. Your training begins now."

"H-h-hai." She murmured, bowing before smiling nervously at Shikamaru and walking out. He followed her, noticing Naruto lurking as well.

"There is something…you need to know…" Ishi whispered, looking up at Orochimaru meekly from behind her thin bangs.

"Yes, Ishi-san?"

"I…heard you had once been in love with Momoko Ali. I met her and…well…the rumble that killed her was her gang against mine."

Orochimaru looked shocked and angry, but said nothing until they entered the area they wanted her to train in. Then, he walked to another ninja and whispered to him with a soft grin at Ishi.

The arena they had set out for her was huge, several sets of ninja in front of her. Ishi looked scared out of her skin as Shikamaru and Naruto were confined to standing on the sidelines.

If anything happens, Shikamaru thought, and then inwardly sighed, this will be quite troublesome to explain. But, soon, it started.

He barely saw the fight, Ishi's body merely a blur. Ninjas dropped like stones, Justus blowing up. Suddenly, Shikamaru relaxed his muscles, sure she could handle it. She was just being troublesome about this.

"Ishi-chan!" Naruto screamed, "Behind you!"

It was too late. The kunai came down into Ishi's chest, then into her stomach, then across the vein in her thigh. Shikamaru could only stare in horror as the dark-haired girl crumpled to the ground.

Naruto/Kyubi was the first down there and Shikamaru followed.

"Klutz!" Kyubi yelled, drawing his sister into his arms, "Klutz! Klutz, wake up…wake up…"

"Kyu…bi…" she murmured, staring up at him, "I'm…so sorry…I tried to…warn the kit…but…"

"I know, I know you did." Kyubi crooned, holding her to his chest, "J-just hang on. Hang on." He glared at Shikamaru.

"Do something, genius!" He snapped, but the dark-haired Chunin couldn't move. He was rooted to the spot in horror. Ishiana, one of life's constant lights of hope, was dying. No, it couldn't be.

"Shi…ka…maru…kun…" Ishi whispered, reaching to him. He leaned down, taking her hand in his.

"Ishi-chan," He murmured, tears in his eyes, "Ishi-chan, I'm here. Don't die…don't die." He smiled through his tears, "Do you know how troublesome it'll be if you…"

Ishi's hand went limp in his.

"I-Ishi-chan? Ishi-chan?! No, no, no, please wake up. Ishi-chan! Please, I swear, I'll never call you troublesome again! Just…just hang on…" The tears began to fall, "Ishi-chan…I love you…"

The words had barely left his lips as Ishi's hand fell from his.

Kyubi let out a mournful cry, turning his face to the ceiling, Naruto's mingling with it.

Their sister…

Shikamaru's love…

Gone.


	12. Epilogue

**3 weeks later:**

"Robin-chan, you can't leave…" Kami looked at her friend and tried to keep her voice from shaking. Her curls were restrained by a black ribbon tied tight around the end of her hair and she was dressed all in black as well.

"Look, Kami, its over," Robin had cut her hair short, in the traditional show of mourning. She slid her bag up over her shoulder. "There's nothing for me here. Nothing but painful memories…" She set a hand on Kami's cheek.

"But, you know so much about what Ishi-chan went through…and I need you here. My whole team can't leave me…" Kami's eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry, Kami." Robin kissed her friend's forehead, "I cleared it with the Hokage and everything…goodbye…."

Robin turned, breaking contact with Kami and walking out the door. She walked in silence until she reached the village gates. Drawing her hands to the forehead protector, she slid it off and her Jagan opened. She threw the hunk of metal and cloth back inside the village before walking out of the gates.

There was to be no more hiding in shadows, no more running from her demons – no pun intended. She was going to find out about who her family was and make everything work. And that would be the end of that.

She would start in Sand. Gaara and she had been friends for years, though it was a bit of a distance problem. They would probably get some good research together to find out how many worlds she really needed to cross.

"Hn. Or, you could always just come with me," A male voice muttered, "I might be able to give you more information than the Kazekage."

Robin whipped around to see a man just as short as she was. His black hair spiked straight up in the air, shaped like a flame. His light brown eyes looked at her in something resembling sympathy. Robin shifted her bag a little.

"And who're you?" She asked in a low voice, continuing to walk. The man sighed and shook his head.

"My name is Hiei. If you really are Raven's daughter…that makes you my granddaughter." So far, everything matched up. He looked like he was having trouble saying everything.

Robin stared a long time at the last bit of known family she had. She dropped to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably. Hiei wrapped his arms stiffly around her…almost as if he wasn't sure what to do.

Kami watched her friend leave with a small sigh, starting on the dishes. She was going to miss Robin. A lot.

"She will be all right, Kami," A soft voice said from behind her.

Kami slipped her fingers out of the water, drying them off before smiling at the shadows.

"I know, Grandfather. Can I get you something?"

There was a tiny movement before Kami sighed again.

"I'm just going to miss her, is all. I hope she knows what she's doing…"

**The End?**


End file.
